Frank Lampard has built Everton’s resurgence on newfound defensive resilience

The Toffees are more assured off the ball and have added greater ball-winning capacity in midfield – while the coaching on show has yielded tangible on-pitch improvements

Safe hands: Lampard with Jordan Pickford and Conor Coady (Getty)

When Everton and Manchester United last met, a solitary goal separated them. As they prepare to reconvene at Goodison Park on Sunday, there is one goal between them again. Everton have conceded seven, United six. The difference is that, between them, Jordan Pickford and Asmir Begovic have had to retrieve the ball from the back of their net seven times this season. Last Sunday, David de Gea was beaten on six occasions in one afternoon.

Strange as it would have sounded a few months ago, Everton have the Premier League’s best defensive record. They are the only team who have only conceded two or more goals in a game once. In their last six matches, they have let in just four.

Indeed, they have become more stingy during a period when Frank Lampard has sacrificed a third centre-back to add another midfielder.